In Memoriam

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Paul Ford, a valued member of the Delaware baseball community.

Paul was a familiar and welcoming presence in the scorer’s booth at Frawley Stadium during high school games. He was a fixture at these events and known for the friendly conversations he shared with coaches while collecting lineups before the game.

His dedication and passion for the game left a lasting impact on all who had the pleasure of knowing him. He will be greatly missed.

Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and all those who were touched by his presence.

Paul L. Ford, Sr. Obituary

Paul L. Ford Sr. (1946-2025)

Wilmington, DE - Paul L. Ford Sr., 78, of Wilmington, DE, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 24, 2025, surrounded by family.

Paul was born on August 25, 1946, in Wilmington to James W., Sr. and Marie (Ackerman) Ford. He attended Christ Our King School, where he was a frequent visitor to “the Yard,” and was a proud graduate of Salesianum School, Class of 1964. He later earned an Associate’s Degree from Delaware Technical and Community College.

Paul was completely devoted to his family. He married his high-school sweetheart, Ann M. Lacy, in 1968 and the couple would go on to raise four children. After a brief stint in the Delaware National Guard, Paul followed in the footsteps of his father Jim and father-in-law, Joseph F. “Buck” Lacy, and joined the Wilmington Fire Department. He served the residents of Wilmington as a dedicated member of the WFD for 20 years, retiring as a Lieutenant in 1987. He proceeded to work for the State Fire Marshal’s Office and then the DART Corporation, from which he also later retired. Possessing a strong work ethic, Paul also worked part-time for Mealey Funeral Homes, and for the past two decades was a fixture at Frawley Stadium working with his “second family” for the Wilmington Blue Rocks/Delaware Stadium Corporation (DSC).

Paul possessed a larger-than-life personality and never shied away from an audience - from performing comedy routines onstage with his father or acting as master of ceremonies for the annual Salesianum Alumni Sports Banquet over the years. Always quick with a joke, a story, or simply a kind word, Paul made friends easily - and had many of them.

Paul was a gifted basketball player in his younger years. A man of faith and longtime parishioner of St. Thomas Church in Wilmington, Paul would go on to coach both boys’ and girls’ CYM basketball. He was also an avid golfer and often watched the game on television even when he could no longer play. He was proud of the hole-in-one he made before finally laying down his clubs for good. In addition to vacations with his wife and family, Paul enjoyed regular golf trips with a tight-knit group of friends. And like many in Wilmington’s Irish community, he was passionate about Notre Dame football.

Paul kept busy in retirement. In addition to his ongoing work with the Blue Rocks, he remained active in the Salesianum Alumni Association and the Wilmington Retired Firefighters’ Association. He also continued to dabble in local Wilmington politics as a campaign volunteer. He was a frequent visitor to Delaware Park, where he won as often as not, but his greatest joy came from attending the school and sporting events of his six grandchildren, whom he absolutely adored. Though he wasn’t known for his handiness around the house, he never lost his uncanny ability to pick out the ugliest Christmas tree on the lot each December. Paul will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and he leaves a legacy of genuine kindness and humble service that is especially needed in the world today.

In addition to his parents, Paul is predeceased by brother James W. Jr. (Vera). He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Ann; sons Paul Jr. and Brian, daughter Erin Sicuranza (Michael), and son Michael (Erin); sister Eleanor Ford-Zaremba (Janice); six grandchildren - Lily, Ellen, and Adam Sicuranza; Lacy and Ben Ford; and Nicolas Ford - and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to a viewing on Friday, May 30th, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 301 North Bancroft Parkway, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., followed immediately by a Mass of Christian Burial. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Paul’s name to either Salesianum School, 1801 N. Broom Street Wilmington, DE 19802 or Delaware Hospice, 630 Churchmans Road, Suite 200, Newark, DE 19702, who did a phenomenal job caring for Paul in his final days.

The Delaware Baseball Coaches Association is saddened to share the loss of two esteemed Hall of Fame members of the Delaware baseball community this year: former umpire Jim “Jimmy Mac” McFarland and former coach Tom Pegelow.

Both individuals made significant contributions to Delaware high school baseball and left a lasting impact on the players, coaches, and communities they served. Their dedication, passion, and service to the sport will be deeply missed.

Please see below for more information about these remarkable men and their enduring legacies.

James Arthur McFarland, “Jimmie Mac" Obituary

James Arthur McFarland (“Jimmie Mac”), 82, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away on April 2, 2025. He was born to Joseph and Ruth McFarland in June, 1942, in Queens, NY, and was the first of six (6!) boys. In 1951, when James was 9 years old, his family moved to Claymont, Delaware, but not before he developed an abiding love for the New York Baseball Giants and the greatest ever, Willie Mays (as if that need be said). 

James graduated from Claymont High School in 1960, where he was a 4-sport letterman and a Class President. From Claymont, he attended Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, where he studied English. While in college, he wrote a bi-weekly sports column in the campus newspaper, resulting in a Senior Writing Award, and a job offer to be a staff writer for the Camden (NJ) Courier-Post. He declined that position and instead accepted an offer to teach high school English in Ohio. His first teaching stint was short-lived, however, as in 1966 he jumped at the opportunity of a lifetime - to become an umpire in the Class A Western Carolina League, for which he was based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. He spent a total of four seasons in the minor leagues. After 2 seasons, he was quoted as having “only chased six or seven players and one manager” in minor league ball. In 1969, he returned to Claymont, where he resumed his teaching career at Claymont High School, and umpiring in Delaware (where he steadily added to his ejection statistics). James taught English for 37 years; his favorite book to teach was The Old Man and the Sea. And he could write. Man, could he write. Though he retired from teaching English in 2004, his love of baseball and the Delaware baseball community kept him on the diamond for years to come. When he wasn’t calling balls and strikes, he found time to take on a new hobby of refereeing soccer games, which he did from 1972 to 2000, at a time when few people knew the first thing about soccer. To round out his days, he coached baseball and soccer at the high school level. 

In 1998, James was inducted into the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame for his unwavering commitment to baseball at all levels. In 2009, he was recognized by the Interstate Baseball Umpires Association for his 50 years of service and commitment to the game of baseball. At that time, he was dubbed the “Godfather of Delaware Baseball.” He continued his involvement in baseball for several years, as an umpire, a teacher of aspiring umpires, and in critical administrative roles. 

James married Judy Anne Thurston in 1966 and together they raised three sons, Richard, Michael, and Craig. In addition to teaching, umpiring and coaching throughout the year, he somehow found a way to attend every sports game his children were ever involved with, interspersed with regular trips to Veterans Stadium to watch the Phillies. He threw countless hours of batting practice to his sons at Silverside Elementary, and the neighborhood park. He also made it a priority to drive his family up and down, and up and down, the Eastern seaboard in his 1979 Volkswagen Bus for annual summer trips to the Outer Banks of North Carolina (before they were The Outer Banks), along with trips to the Finger Lakes of New York, Eastern Tennessee, Florida, and once to the Great White North of Toronto, Canada. He absolutely loved road trips. He also loved strawberries, Northern cardinals, and meatloaf. And dogs. He loved dogs. And they loved him back.  

Later in life, James met his baseball-loving counterpart (aka, his Unicorn), Nancy Dillon, with whom he shared 25 joyful years surrounded by family, including annual trips to the beach (even though he could not stand sand), holiday celebrations, and, of course, baseball games, his attendance to which was chronicled in ever-growing stacks of ticket stubs strategically placed around his home. 

Throughout his life, James was a stable, supportive, and comforting presence for countless people. He was our foundation. Our home base. He was remarkably modest and preferred to do good without recognition, and had a knack for sharing his credit with others - a true child of the Greatest Generation. He was a principled person who believed in treating people with kindness and decency, and was a role model from whom we will continue to learn for the rest of our days. His patient, kind nature, and easy smile will be forever missed. 

We love you, Pa! Stay strong and “Say Hey!”

James is survived by his five brothers: Bob, Tom, Ed, Rich, and Don; his three sons: Richard, Michael, and Craig; his eight grandchildren: Jagger, Maddy, Kate, Hannah, Eagan, Molly, Watts, and Fosston; and by his partner in love, Nancy.

A visitation for James will be held on Tuesday April 8th, 2025 from 3 P.M. to 7 P.M. at the Mealey Funeral Home, 2509 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808. Funeral services and burial will be held privately for the family. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in James' name to Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Attn: Membership Department, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403

Thomas Ray Pegelow Obituary

Thomas Ray Pegelow, age 71, of Seaford, DE, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2025, surrounded by his family.  

Thomas was born on April 7, 1954, in Terre Haute, IN, the son of the late William and Mary Pegelow.

Thomas was a Teacher and a Sports Coach, he began his career at Woodbridge School District in 1985, he went on to teach and coach at Seaford School District and concluded his career a Sussex Technical High School. Thomas coached the Seaford Baseball Team for many years, where his team in 1993 won the State Championship, he was then inducted into the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Thomas loved coaching baseball, when he wasn't coaching, he enjoyed golfing, classic cars (driving and going to car shows), boating, and spending as much time as he could with his family.

Thomas is survived by his wife of 48 years, Maureen Pegelow, two sons, Frederick "Nate" Pegelow (Sherri) and George "Nick" Pegelow (Stephanie), three grandsons, Ryne, Drew, and Brody, his two sisters, Teresa Wilson (Rudy) and Kaye Moynihan (Larry), as well as many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 12:00 PM, with a public visitation from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Cranston Funeral Home, 300 N Shipley Street, Seaford, DE.